The lord of the castle and head of a prestigious family with a long tradition dating back to the Kamakura period , accompanied by a small retinue, was taking his daily horseback stroll around the castle grounds.朽木元綱Kutsuki Mototsuna
In 1550, his father was killed in battle, and since inheriting the family headship at the tender age of two, Mototsuna has continuously strived to protect his territory.
Kuchiki Valley had little flat land and was somewhat inconvenient for many people to live in, but Mototsuna was very fond of this place.
The smell of the earth, and the fresh scent of young leaves wafting through the trees—Mototsuna can proudly boast that it’s a unique atmosphere unlike any other place.
And that is precisely why Mototsuna pledged allegiance to the Asai family in order to protect his own land.
It goes without saying that there are absolute limits to protecting one’s land solely through one’s own efforts.
Even Oda Nobunaga, in order to contain the eastern forces, including the Takeda clan, absolutely needed an alliance with Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Incidentally, the number of soldiers that can be mobilized in Kuchiki Valley is roughly 800.
Given their limited military strength, the Kuchiki family found it essential to forge alliances or pledge allegiance to powerful forces during the turbulent Sengoku period.
“Whether you form an alliance or submit to someone, the other side must not be too strong…”
Mototsuna, who led a small force, thought so.
When the power imbalance between forces is too great, a group like the Kuchiki family is always the one that gets oppressed.
In the worst-case scenario, they could be driven from their territory by force and die a miserable death—and above all, such things were commonplace in the Warring States period.
The Asai family, to which Mototsuna serves, is now a rapidly rising force under the leadership of Nagamasa, who forced the previous head, Hisamasa, into retirement.
Last month, the head of the family, Nagamasa himself, entered Sawayama Castle when the Rokkaku clan’s forces were advancing, repelled the enemy outnumbering him by more than twenty times, and then launched a thoroughly ruthless mopping-up operation—a fact that is now known to the surrounding forces.
“The Rokkaku family may have awakened the ‘Hidden Dragon of Kohoku’…”
That was the prevailing view.
However, the Asai family was not a powerful Sengoku daimyo with a formidable military force, and the maximum number of troops they could mobilize for battle was less than 10,000.
“That’s precisely why they are the perfect force for what we’re doing…”与Kumi
To the north of Kuchikidani Castle were the Takeda clan of Wakasa Province and the Asakura clan of Echizen Province.
To the west were the Miyoshi and Matsunaga clans, and to the south was the Rokkaku clan of southern Omi Province.
The Wakasa Takeda family has been in a significant decline in power since the family succession caused great turmoil within the clan.
The Asakura family possessed overwhelming economic and military power, making them one of the most powerful forces in Sengoku-period Japan.
In the Kinai region, the “Three Generals” who supported the Miyoshi family and Matsunaga Hisahide were vying for supremacy , weakening the Rokkaku family, although they were showing signs of decline, they remained a major force.鎬Shingo
Therefore, for Mototsuna, the Asai family, being a “powerful medium-sized force,” was the “ideal” leader.真Makoto
“Goro, don’t get too close to the edge.”
Mototsuna called out to his favorite page.
“The fog is thick today…
We might stray from our path.
It’s dangerous, very dangerous.”
“teeth…”
The page boy hurried over to Mototsuna’s horse.
Seeing how obedient he was, after showering him with affection last night, put Mototsuna in a good mood.
A man’s buttocks have a different kind of appeal than a woman’s crotch…
Mototsuna looked down at the pageboy, nodding several times with admiration.
“It’s really cold.
Let’s call it a day and head back to the castle.”
“Please wait, Mototsuna-sama.”
The pageboy, called Goro, addressed his master.
“I hear something.
The sound of fallen leaves being trampled by foreigners.”
“Hmm…”
While controlling the horse’s reins, Mototsuna listened intently.
At this time, it was approximately the hour of the rabbit (6:00 AM).
For those who live in Kuchiki Valley, surrounded by a deep forest that limits their field of vision, their ears are a more reliable sensory organ than their eyes.
And Mototsuna’s eardrums—he could clearly sense the many foreign objects hidden in the silent forest.
“Goro”
“yes”
Mototsuna is still only 17 years old.
However, he certainly had the experience of having spent 15 years as the head of the prestigious Kuchiki family.
In his eyes, anger at the invasion of his territory and a burning fighting spirit were already evident.敵愾心Tekigaishin
“This direction…the enemy is definitely the Wakasa Takeda clan.
Their numbers are probably around 4,500 to 5,000.
Goro, you must immediately rush to Shimizu-yama Castle and request reinforcements from the Asai clan.”
“Understood.
How about you, Mototsuna-sama?”
“Me?”
Mototsuna gripped the horse’s flanks with both of his thighs and said with a smile:
“We will barricade ourselves in the castle.
There is a way for a small army to fight.
We will use the terrain to our advantage and surely drive the Wakasa Takeda family out of Kuchiki Valley—Go, Goro!
Don’t think you have much time!”
“Hah!”
The pageboy leaped into the deep forest and disappeared.
After witnessing this, Mototsuna and his remaining entourage hurried towards Kuchikidani Castle.
The dense fog was fortunate.
The Wakasa Takeda army must be marching cautiously.
Judging from the footsteps I heard earlier, their advance is slow.
But thanks to that, the Kuchiki forces can buy themselves some time to defend themselves.
◇
At the same time—
Unsettling information had also reached Isono Kazumasa, who was defending Sawayama Castle.
Unlike Kuchiki Valley, there is no dense fog here.
Therefore, the movements of forces hostile to the Asai family can be quickly grasped, both visually and aurally.
“8,000 Rokkaku troops are gathering at Kannonji Castle.”
As soon as he received news from a spy he had planted in a rural village near Kannonji Castle, Yuan Chang immediately reorganized the 1,200 defenders inside the castle and, leaving 200 behind, sallied forth.
“We must move faster than the enemy and buy ourselves some time…”
During the previous battle to defend Sawayama Castle, Kazumasa’s deep trust and respect for his lord, Nagamasa, grew even stronger, while at the same time continuing to regret his own inadequacy.
If only they had sallied forth from the castle at that time and confronted the Rokkaku army, buying some time—Nagamasa wouldn’t have had to risk charging a large army with a small force and storming the castle.
And that was also the consensus of the soldiers defending Sawayama Castle who had been saved by Nagamasa.
“We must take the initiative, no matter what.”
Taking the initiative is synonymous with gaining an advantage.
War is unpredictable, and the key to victory lies in whether one can maintain high morale at all times.
In other words, if you always maintain a high level of fighting spirit, you will almost never lose.
As a matter of experience, you should recall times when you yourself felt that you had “lost.”
The process of losing begins with the mind reaching its limits, which in turn causes the body to stop functioning.
In short, you just need to avoid being mentally defeated.
You just need to maintain your advantage at all times.
To do that, it is absolutely essential to anticipate your opponent’s moves and take the initiative.
And in addition to all of that—there must be hope.
“Request reinforcements from Lord Nagamasa of Odani Castle.”
Kazumasa gave this order to his subordinates and sent a messenger to Odani Castle.
Humans must always have hope.
Or rather, as long as they have hope, humans are creatures who can endure almost anything.
It’s the same scenario as how a corporate warrior can endure the daily pain of work, bosses, or clients if they imagine their lovely wife or loving husband waiting at home with a warm meal and a bath, all while smiling.
However, for Kazumasa and the others, their hope lies in Nagamasa himself.
When Yuan Chang pushed his forces to the Aichigawa River in southern Omi Province, he began to set up camp.
The Aichigawa River visibly marks the territorial boundary between the Asai and Rokkaku families.
Crossing that line is generally considered an “invasion of territory.”
The Rokkaku army will soon attempt to cross the Aichigawa River.
Yuan Chang believes that the timing “must be delayed at all costs…”
It is not impossible, but difficult, for a small force to achieve a giant-killing victory.
For example, the Battle of Okehazama immediately comes to mind as an example of giant killing, but that is merely an exceptional case among countless battles.
Furthermore, while Kazumasa was a fierce general of the Asai family, on par with Endo Naotsune, he was also a rare officer capable of objectively assessing himself.
He was aware that he was a general who could only excel in limited battles, and that he was not good at navigating the battlefield with a broad perspective.
And he knew that he could only perform at his best when working under a superior commander.
That’s why—
“We must buy time until one of the three generals of the Sea, Red, and Rain arrives, or until Lord Nagamasa arrives.”
That’s the reason.
Kazumasa took up a position on the banks of the Aichigawa River and had a large number of flags bearing the Asai family crest, “Three-tiered tortoise shell with a diamond-shaped flower,” erected and raised.
Upon seeing this, the Rokkaku army would be forced to halt their march for a while on the opposite bank of the Aichigawa River.
This is because the officers and soldiers of the Rokkaku army who survived last month’s tragedy have learned the hard way that “we cannot defeat Nagamasa in terms of numbers.”
“I can’t believe Nagamasa has already shown up…”
Thus, Yuan Chang’s aim was to create a false sense of security for the Rokkaku army.
Normally, it would be unthinkable for the head of a daimyo family of the size of the Asai clan to personally lead a small force into battle against a large army.
However, the Rokkaku army would probably think, “But in the case of Nagamasa, it might actually be possible…”
Above all, they knew of Nagamasa, who had launched a lightning attack against an army of 32,000 with only 40 cavalrymen.
In any case, the Rokkaku army would hesitate to cross the river, halt their march, and hold a war council—that’s how Yuan Chang predicted the future developments.
However, that is an inevitable stepping stone.
After all, once you cross the river, a bloody, extreme battle awaits you against the Asai family.
◇
The Takeda army invaded from Goseyama Castle in Wakasa Province.
Shortly after that shocking news arrived, a messenger rushed to Odani Castle from Sawayama Castle, reporting the Rokkaku clan’s impending attack.
From Shimizu-yama Castle, a message arrived from Anyoji Ujitane, a senior retainer of the Asai family, stating, “The Takeda forces have attacked Kutsukidani Castle with 5,000 soldiers.
There are signs that they are planning to invade the western side of Lake Biwa.
We request your assistance regarding Lord Nagamasa.” Another message arrived from Isono Kazumasa, stating, “The Rokkaku forces have departed Kannonji Castle with 8,000 soldiers.
They intend to capture Sawayama Castle.
We earnestly request your assistance regarding Lord Nagamasa.”以too何卒Please
The simultaneous invasion of Asai territory from both the north and the south shook Odani Castle to its core.
It was inevitable that it would be shaken.
However, I was no longer surprised.
My suspicion that “this world isn’t unfolding according to the history I know…” had simply turned into certainty.
(Is it now impossible to follow the events as they actually happened in history?)
I was sitting on a bench atop a turret in the main keep of Odani Castle.
Next to me are Endo Naotsune, Akao Kiyotsuna, and also Kaihoku Tsunachika and Amamori Kiyosada.
Standing before my assembled retainers, I slapped my closed fan against my knee.
Their gazes, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of eyes, all converge on me at once.
Traditionally, military councils were held among senior retainers such as Endo Naotsune and Akao Kiyotsuna.
However, this time, I summoned soldiers regardless of their rank, even those of the lowest rank.
Now, 6,500 soldiers who can be summoned in Hudong are watching my every move.
This was because, in the dire situation the Asai family was in, there was only one option left.
There’s no way to come up with a plan.
but–
(That dreamlike thing absolutely cannot happen!)
A dream I once had comes back to my mind.
In the darkness, amidst the ruins, Ichihime weeps helplessly, all alone.
Now, that image has become synonymous with the downfall of the Asai family in my mind.
“Listen, my retainers of the Asai clan.”
When I rose from my stool and spoke, my retainers all straightened up at once.
“To put it simply, with the Takeda clan invading from the north and the Rokkaku clan from the south, the Asai clan is now on the brink of annihilation.”
The castle of Odani shook with a commotion.
They probably never imagined that I, the supreme commander of the Asai clan, would hear such a disturbing and unsettling word as “destruction.”
The foot soldiers, in particular, were extremely unsettled.
In Sengoku-period Japan, where the separation of soldiers and farmers was not yet widespread, many of them were farmers and also fathers with wives and children.
If I die, there’s absolutely no guarantee of what will happen to my family tomorrow.
And if they lose the war, their beloved wife might become a prostitute, opening her legs to strangers and soldiers to make ends meet, their daughter might be sold into prostitution and become a sex slave, and their son might become a labor slave.
“I don’t want to die.”
That is the wish of ordinary men.
Nevertheless, the reason they go to the battlefield, to places where they might die, is because they want their families to survive, no matter what happens to them.
In such circumstances, it was only natural that their hearts would be greatly shaken when I, the supreme commander of the Asai clan, dangled the word “destruction” in front of them.
However, that’s my rhetorical strategy.
“But there is one way to break this situation.
There is only one option left for us.”
Then the soldiers looked at me with eyes that seemed to say, “We’re still shaken up inside.”縋Suga
To them, I’m the only one they can rely on.
As long as they live in Asai territory, they have no choice but to trust me.
—In that case, I have no choice but to reciprocate those feelings.
That is the responsibility that belongs to Asai Nagamasa.
It is the responsibility that must be fulfilled.
“I will show you the way to our survival.”
Slowly, but with intonation, he throws a single stone—a word—into the sea of vassals that stretches out below him.
“Protect them.
You must protect those beside you first.”
The foot soldiers instinctively glanced to their left and right.
And there, I saw a friend and comrade, with the same anxious look on his face as I had.
“Let me just say one thing.
In this battle, I don’t want any of you to end up exposed to the elements.
Or, let me say this: Don’t die.”骸Corpse
The castle of Odani shook again with a rumble.
This was a different kind of disturbance than the one we’d seen earlier.
Of course.
I had so easily pointed out exactly what they had been lamenting as unattainable, yet still hoping for and hiding.
“Think of your friends and care for your comrades”…
This may seem simple, but it is actually very difficult to do.
Now, the eyes of my retainers, which were once filled with despair, are filled with a will to live and hope, and they await my next words.
I continued speaking, as if to stir up their hopes and question the meaning of their existence.
“But…even so, I, Asai Nagamasa, command you.
Protect the man standing beside you, your comrade, your fellow soldier, no matter what!
No matter what happens, you must do so!”
The soldiers looked left and right, nodding to each other.
“…If that’s the case, we absolutely cannot lose this battle.
If no one dies, there’s no way we can lose.”
I know that’s nothing but a sweet fantasy.
It’s war, people die.
There are no exceptions, friend or foe.
Nevertheless, humans need hope.
In the darkness of despair, the light of hope is absolutely essential.
And those who demonstrate that hope are the leaders.
A leader who crushes and extinguishes hope is not a leader at all.
Such a person is nothing but a nuisance who drags everyone down.
“Entrust your life to your friends, and protect their lives.
To survive together with your friends, to live in Omi tomorrow.
Then the path will open up for you.
A glorious future awaits us tomorrow.”
The assembled samurai commanders, foot soldier commanders, foot soldier lieutenants, and foot soldiers—they were all staring at me with expressions that suggested they were intent on listening to every word, determined not to miss a single one.
“You all know this, don’t you?
Construction of a hot spring resort is beginning here in northern Omi.
Warm water will soon be added to your lives.
Then, silk will soon be added to your lives.”
What I’m talking about is undoubtedly something that would have been absolutely unthinkable in the lives of ordinary people in the past.
However, it wasn’t just me; the men in front of me also believed in its realization.
They had actually witnessed the construction of the bathhouse and the silkworm farm.
It would have been strange not to believe.
The Asai family’s territory is changing steadily, and dramatically.
“For Kita-Omi to welcome such a glorious future, it would be meaningless if you were not alive.
It would be meaningless if the Takeda and Rokkaku clans were to live there.
It would be utterly meaningless unless we use our own hands to benefit ourselves.”
The men stationed at Odani Castle all nodded in unison.
Naotsune, Kiyotsuna, Tsunachika, and Kiyosada, who were all beside me—they were all the same.
“That’s right,” “That’s right,” “That’s right,” passionate voices rose from all directions.
“We must not let the Takeda or Rokkaku take this land.
This land belongs to the Asai.
It is our land, our land, for us to live better lives.”
Therefore!
I shouted.
The retainers of the Asai family clenched their fists tightly.
“Let me say this boldly: We are on the brink of destruction, but this is also our greatest opportunity.”
Because!
I raised my fist and thrust it forward.
The 6,500 soldiers of the Asai clan raised their fists in unison.
“Now is the time for us, as members of the Asai family and as the people of Kohoku living in northern Omi, to demonstrate our unity to the world!
The cause is on our side!
We will protect Kohoku!
We must repel our enemies!
And we must give them what they deserve!”
My loud voice echoed off Mount Kotani .echo
Then, a roar of excitement from the men, “Oooooh!!” , rang out, and Mount Kotani shook violently.
In their eyes, there was no longer any trace of despair, turmoil, or bewilderment.
There was a hope to live for tomorrow, and a resolute will to overcome all obstacles to achieve that.
“Tsunachika!”
“Hah!”
In response to my fervent cry, the commander of the Asai army, whom Toyotomi Hideyoshi had historically referred to as “my master of military strategy,” knelt down.
“I appoint you as the commander-in-chief in this battle against the Rokkaku clan !
Cooperate with Kiyotsuna and Kiyosada, and live up to my expectations!”戦war
“—Absolutely.”
With a quiet yet undeniable fighting spirit in his eyes, Tsunachika said:
“We will surely show them the pride of the Asai clan!”
“Yes!”
I once again rallied the men below me.
“I assure you.
As long as Tsunachika is in command, and you entrust your lives to your comrades and protect them—the word ‘defeat’ will never be before us!”
“Oooooh!!” another shout echoed.
It’s undeniably masculine and rather unkempt, but—this kind of atmosphere isn’t so bad.
Right now, we are all giving our absolute best to move forward towards a single goal.
It was an intense experience unlike anything I could ever have had in the world I came from.
“And then—Naotsune!”
“Hah!”
Following Tsunachika’s example, Naotsune responded by kneeling on one knee.
“You will come with me to Kuchiki Valley!
You spineless fools of Wakasa—I will not let a single one of you set foot on your homeland!”
“I understand!”
At this point, the soldiers would probably wonder, “Surely Lord Nagamasa won’t come with us?”
To prevent that question from arising, I immediately yelled at the men below me.
“I will now drive out the weak soldiers of Wakasa who have advanced into Kuchiki Valley, together with the generals of Shimizuyama Castle!
If we do not defeat them, our rear will be in danger—Tsunachika!”
“Hah!”
“Keep the Rokkaku forces under control until I return .
As soon as I’ve driven out the Takeda, I will personally defeat the Rokkaku.
This time, I will finish them off completely…!”往stomach
A conch shell is blown, and the gates of Odani Castle are opened.
Tsunachika and the others bowed to me, mounted their horses, and galloped down the mountain path with great speed.
And then, kicking up clouds of dust, 6,500 Asai soldiers followed.
“Lord Nagamasa, let us go as well.”
Naotsune, riding his horse, said:
Damn, he looks so refreshingly good on horseback.
I wonder if the day will ever come when I “become” like Naotsune .様Summer
“Time is of the essence.
We must eliminate either Takeda or Rokkaku quickly, or we will be pushed into an increasingly disadvantageous position.
For that reason, please bring your horses to the stables.”
Without changing my mind, I ran to the stable.
Taishakutsukimo shouldn’t have been there.
Since Hikobei’s death, there was no one to take care of her, so Taishakutsukimo was supposed to have been moved to a pasture outside Odani Castle.
However, Taishaku Tsukige was actually in the stable.
A young girl was holding the reins, patiently waiting for my arrival.
“It’s been a while…”
“Oh, my lord!”
The younger sister of Hikobei, whom I brought back from the farming village, has carefully assembled and fitted the Taishakutsuki horse tack, and is nervously handing me the reins, saying, “Th-this!”
Seeing Hisashi like that, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotion welling up inside me.
“It’s been a while!”
“Y-yes!”
She must have been nervous when I, a man on horseback, called out to her.
Despite being flustered and bewildered, Hisashi gave a firm reply.
“Is Naotsune a good adoptive father?”
“Yes!”
Her unwavering reply brought me a profound sense of relief.
In the sense that she was completely alone in the world, she was in the same situation as I was in my original world.
Moreover, it’s partly my fault that she ended up in such a position.
Her brother, Hikobei, sacrificed his life for me.
She was taken in by Naotsune, and now she is able to properly take care of Taishakutsukimo…
“Then, that’s fine!”
When I released the reins of Taishakutsukimo, she raised her upper body high and cried out in a clear voice.
“My lord!”
“What?!”
“May you have good fortune in battle!”
“–Yes!”
I rode my Indra Moon, sped through the castle gate, and galloped down the mountain path.
And behind him, Naotsune followed with masterful horsemanship.
(This battle…
I cannot lose.
I will not be annihilated here!)
With that resolve in mind, I set off towards Lake Biwa with Naotsune.